SPONGE COLLABORATIVE +
WEAVING WITH WATER Team
MULLASSERY CANAL FRAMEWORK AND CANAL EDGE MASTERPLAN
Figure 18 - The underutilised spaces near Law College hostel and PWD park (Image Credit: Sponge Collaborative)
Potential open spaces in the Mullassery Canal precinct In the Mullassery Canal precinct area, there are several publicly and privately owned open spaces which are underutilised, and which have potential to become water retention areas in the case of an extreme flood event. Some of the underutilised spaces are discussed below: 1. Priyadarshini park abutting the mouth of the Mullassery Canal 2. Government Law College grounds 3. The Jewish Cemetery (currently under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India and in a neglected condition) 4. The Maharaja’s College Grounds 5. The PWD Park adjoining the Maharaja’s College Grounds 6. Privately owned vacant plots along the Karikkamuri college grounds 7. The GCDA stadium 8. The wetlands adjoining the KSRTC campus 9. The KSRTC bus terminus An additional pathway for water, in addition to the widening of the canal and stormwater drains, is therefore necessary for effective flood mitigation. The potential of open spaces and streets to perform flood mitigation functions, as yet unexplored, is the key to the Mullassery Canal Precinct Framework plan.
2.1.3 Sponge Approach for a Resilient Kochi: Investing in a Blue-Green Network to mitigate flooding and improving the public realm Sponge Approach Based on the above, we propose an alternative approach to waterlogging, which considers protecting existing open spaces which act as retention areas, particularly wetlands and low lying regions, while redesigning open spaces and streets to effectively hold and delay a greater quantity of water from entering the stormwater network so that the drains are not overwhelmed, and water can be diverted away from non-floodable access points, junctions and arterial roads. This approach can be overlaid on top of the current engineering solutions proposed to make gray infrastructure investments like canal widening and stormwater pipes more resilient to extreme cloudburst and excessive storm events. There is the added advantage that a focus on appropriate design of open spaces and streets results in multiple co-benefits, such as increasing biodiversity, ensuring the activation of public spaces, converting previously neglected open spaces to parks and playgrounds, with access to public amenities for the larger community, and creating a sense of ownership over the public realm and flood mitigation infrastructure by the public at large. The
